"It's been a long time effort of the Isuarsivik treatment centre to construct a new building and deliver the program and staff it properly. So it would be nice if [Ungava] would at least communicate with them, and look to see how they can contribute."

But Moorhouse said there's another way Ungava could show more respect for Inuit: By properly representing Inuit clothing.

The gin company faced controversy after tweets showed women promoting its products in parka-like swimsuits.

Singer Tanya Tagaq tweeted photos of said clothing, saying they "sexualiz[ed] Inuit to sell alcohol" and had Asians represent the people of the Arctic:

Ungava said the latter picture was taken in Singapore, and the women wearing the outfits were employees at the bar where the gin was being launched.

Moorhouse said the clothes could be approached differently.

"A parka is a parka, anybody knows what a parka looks like, and it's not part of a swimsuit," he said.

"The women seamstresses have been sewing parkas out of fur from the caribou, the polar bear, and it survived them for hundreds of years.

"We don't have the time for bathing suits that look like parkas because it just doesn't do the job to keep anybody warm."

Ungava Gin is "currently deciding on how best to engage with the Inuit community and have been exploring a number of options, including working with organizations in Montreal, or in the North," spokesman Stephen Murdoch said in an emailed statement.

Working with Makivik is but one option that's been presented to the company, he added.

Murdoch said Ungava reached out to Makivik Tuesday and hopes to meet with them soon, "if they are interested."